Tolkatch

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-01-24 Diary Coverage: Up to July 1881

Tolkatch is a juge d'instruction (examining magistrate/investigator) involved in a legal case connected to the Bashkirtseff family. Marie's uncle Alexandre has manipulated him through an elaborate scheme.

Key Diary References:

• July 17, 1881: "le juge d'instruction Tolkatch a fini son affaire et du reste Alexandre le tient dans ses très grosses pattes"
• Alexandre sent an agent to befriend Tolkatch, pretending to be Alexandre's enemy, who then got Tolkatch drunk and extracted compromising information
• The agent continued correspondence with Tolkatch, getting him to write incriminating letters "sous la dictée d'Alexandre"
• Marie compares Alexandre's tactics to the police exploits described in Balzac's novels

Context:

• Russian examining magistrate in the region
• Involved in legal matters affecting the Bashkirtseff family
• Compromised by Alexandre's agent through false friendship and alcohol
• Now under Alexandre's control through written evidence
• The case is completed by July 1881

Research Notes:

• Full name and official title need research
• The specific legal case he was investigating is unclear
• Marie's account shows Alexandre's ruthless manipulation of the Russian legal system
• Further research needed on the nature of the family legal dispute